Chapter 310: Not Being Sick or in Disaster Is Not Considered Suffering

At nine o'clock in the evening, the rain had just ceased, and the entire city was adorned by brilliant neon lights, looking as picturesque as a poem.

Returning to the Danqingyuan Residential Complex, Chen Shanni, who had just finished her IV drip, was still somewhat weak and listless; seeing the task through to the end, Shen Yan scooped her up in his arms and walked toward the elevator.

Looking at those facial features so close at hand, with their smooth, sculpture-like lines, Chen Shanni was momentarily dazed.

It was an indescribable sense of security.

This made Chen Shanni involuntarily recall the scene when her kidney stones first flared up.

It was just like today, being carried by Shen Yan without the slightest effort.

And it was from that very moment that she began to fall for this extraordinary boy.

Lying back on her familiar bed, Chen Shanni called out to Shen Yan, who was preparing to leave, and whispered to Wu Yueer, "Yue'er, could you step out for a moment? I have something I want to say to Shen Yan."

Wu Yueer nodded, looking thoughtful.

Driven by a woman's intuition.

She didn't say much else, intending to ask Shen Yan about it later.

"Click!"

As the door closed, Chen Shanni suddenly became nervous; her originally haggard, pale cheeks strangely flushed with two clouds of red, leaving Shen Yan feeling somewhat bewildered.

He reached out and placed his hand on her forehead.

Hmm... it felt about the same as an ordinary person's.

So, he pulled over a computer chair, sat down, and asked in confusion, "What did you want to say?"

At this, the red glow on Chen Shanni's face deepened; after a moment of hesitation, she finally steeled her resolve: "Actually... actually, there are some things I've kept in my heart for a long time. I hadn't planned on telling you, but... in this current situation, if I don't say it, I might never have another chance. I don't want to leave any regrets."

"So... I..."

Shen Yan's heart skipped a beat; he had seen this scenario on television before—from top to bottom, from left to right, it looked exactly like the rhythm of a male or female lead confessing to the person they love before dying.

No way, right? Chen Shanni likes me?

I hadn't noticed any signs of that!

Sure enough, Chen Shanni's next words confirmed his suspicion.

"Do you know what I was thinking when you were carrying me just now? I was thinking about that time at the library when you carried me just like this, and it was from that moment on that... someone moved into my heart."

As she went on, Chen Shanni's voice grew smaller, until at the end it was as faint as a mosquito's hum, barely audible.

And she was stumbling over her words, too.

Her head was buried straight into the quilt.

For someone as inarticulate as Chen Shanni, being able to do this was truly not easy.

In truth, Shen Yan didn't hear the specific details clearly and could only grasp the general meaning.

This girl really likes him.

Damn it! He felt like a fool, completely unable to guess a woman's thoughts.

Wu Yueer first, Hao Anqi later, and now Chen Shanni...

At this very moment, the room fell into a ghostly silence.

Having received no response for a long time, Chen Shanni felt anxious, like a small boat swaying in the waves.

She couldn't help but peek her head out to observe.

Noticing Shen Yan's stunned expression, she retracted her head back in.

The beginning of all things is difficult; with the experience from just a moment ago, and the fact that Shen Yan couldn't see her, Chen Shanni's courage grew a little.

She continued: "Do you remember that time at the KTV? It was you who said you wanted to hear me sing, which is why I mustered the courage to try. That was the first time I felt what it was like to be acknowledged."

"And another time, I, Yue'er, and you were eating a late-night snack at home. Yue'er asked you which girl in our dorm you would most want to have as a girlfriend. When you said you wanted to protect me, I was so happy."

"That time on my birthday, you gave me a Unicorn Music Box. Although it wasn't worth much, it is the gift I cherish most. I have always taken good care of it; it's sitting right there on the bedside table, and I listen to it every night before I go to sleep."

Shen Yan glanced over; sure enough, there was a crystal ball-shaped music box on the bedside table, filled with water, with a milky-white unicorn standing at the bottom.

If he remembered correctly, the background music was "Castle in the Sky," which he had picked up for a few dozen yuan at a small shop back then.

He hadn't expected Chen Shanni to cherish it so much.

To be honest, being liked so much by a girl, it would be a lie to say he wasn't moved, but Shen Yan felt he didn't deserve this affection; he was just a total scumbag.

Chen Shanni's recounting continued: "When we were in Hengdian, the little white goose you won for me..."

"That time we had a snowball fight..."

"Dancing in the square..."

One by one, the past events were brought up by Chen Shanni, as if they had happened just yesterday.

The more Chen Shanni spoke, the more detailed she became, saying that she had always been deeply influenced by Shen Yan, using him as a role model to make herself as strong as possible.

In the end, Chen Shanni concluded: "I didn't say all this for any other reason; I just wanted you to know that I... I really like you so much."

Uh...

It seemed he should express something at this moment.

After a moment of contemplation, Shen Yan said with sincerity: "I hadn't even noticed that I had such a big influence on you. Perhaps it's because we were once very similar, and I can deeply understand those feelings."

"Also, thank you for your feelings. Just as I said back then, if I hadn't met An Qi, I think we very likely would have ended up together."

Hearing this, a beautiful arc quietly formed at the corners of Chen Shanni's mouth.

With that, she was content.

She was very glad that Hao Anqi existed; otherwise, if she were to fall ill and leave, Shen Yan would surely be very heartbroken, and that was something she did not wish to see.

At this time, Shen Yan spoke again: "I think it's too early for you to give up. The world is vast, and there is no shortage of hidden talents. If Western medicine doesn't work, try Traditional Chinese Medicine; if it doesn't work domestically, try going abroad. There will always be a way."

Chen Shanni poked her head out from the quilt and shook it dejectedly: "There's no need to trouble yourself. The doctors all say my condition is progressing too fast, and the treatment has very little effect. Besides, if this kind of illness could be cured, word would have spread long ago."

Shen Yan fell silent.

A sentence flashed through his mind: "If there is no illness or disaster, it is not considered suffering; having enough to eat and wear is happiness."